


i noticed you. how could i not?

by ohhgreywarden



Series: Tumblr Prompts [4]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Bethany's enormous crush on Sebastian, Blue-Purple Hawke (Dragon Age), Circle Mage Bethany Hawke, Dragon Age II - Mark of the Assassin DLC, F/M, Tallis is there but she doesn't talk so I didn't tag her, Tumblr Prompt, another thing that's not mentioned is that Hawke and Bethany are half Asian, not that it really comes up but this happens at the end of act 2, that's just how it is in all my fics, to quote Varric: Choir Boy is butter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-19
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:28:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21857623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohhgreywarden/pseuds/ohhgreywarden
Summary: "Bethany hadn’t expected to see him there. She hadn’t even expected to see her sister at Chateau Haine after Orsino sent her there to represent the circle, and when Emmie arrived, she was accompanied by an elven woman she didn’t recognize and a chantry brother in gleaming white armor who she absolutely did. To say it was unexpected would be a massive understatement."
Relationships: Bethany Hawke/Sebastian Vael
Series: Tumblr Prompts [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1572025
Comments: 6
Kudos: 9





	i noticed you. how could i not?

**Author's Note:**

> Written based on a prompt from [this list](https://sebethany.tumblr.com/post/189630009640).

Bethany hadn’t expected to see him there. She hadn’t even expected to see her sister at Chateau Haine after Orsino sent her there to represent the circle, and when Emmie arrived, she was accompanied by an elven woman she didn’t recognize and a chantry brother in gleaming white armor who she absolutely did. To say it was unexpected would be a massive understatement.

She had helped Emmie to fulfill Prince Sebastian Vael’s request at the chanter’s board to avenge his murdered family, and when they had gone to tell him of their success in doing so. With time, she had come to know him not as a prince but as Brother Sebastian, who sang the Chant in the cathedral just as beautifully as he did in the tiny chapel in the Gallows, bringing comfort to the needy, even if they happened to be mages. To her eyes, he was loyal, compassionate, beautiful, and utterly unreachable. She was absolutely infatuated with him.

And now, apparently, he’s part of her sister’s strange band of companions.

When he had simply been another person hiring her services as a fighter or a priest singing the Chant, it was easy to not be distracted by her attraction to him. Yes, he was handsome, but he was also someone she’d never need to speak to directly. Or so she thought. Now she’s traipsing around the woods with only her sister and that elf, Tallis, to keep her from being completely alone with him.

She never would have guessed, from observing Sebastian in the Chantry, just how animated he would be in casual conversation. He and Emmie are laughing about something that happened on their way to the chateau; his laugh is so bright and musical that Bethany finds herself almost swooning. She envies her sister, who apparently gets to hear him laugh all the time and yet is completely unaware of how lucky she is. Tallis is smiling, too, but there’s something strange and distant about her. Bethany doesn’t know if she trusts her, yet.

“Ah, but your sister must be feeling left out, Hawke,” Sebastian says, turning his brilliant blue eyes toward Bethany and smiling.

Her cheeks flush and she desperately hopes she can pass it off as exertion. She smiles back shyly.

“I don’t know,” Emmie says with a dangerous grin. “She seems to be happy to admire the view. It’s very picturesque here, isn’t it, Bethany?”

Bethany has a sudden urge to kick her sister in the shins but refrains. She knows Emmie isn’t talking about the landscape. So does Tallis, judging by the way she snickers into her hand. Sebastian, however, is either oblivious or just does a better job of hiding his amusement.

“Yes, Emmie, yes it is,” Bethany says with a forced smile. Emmie smirks.

“It’s certainly a nice change from Kirkwall, isn’t it?”

The way Sebastian’s accent wraps around the words is intoxicating. Bethany is pretty sure she’ll combust before the day is over if she gets to keep listening to him speak.

“And fewer demons than Sundermount, I hope.” Emmie gives an exaggerated shudder.

“That’s always a good thing,” Sebastian chuckles. He turns to look at Bethany again. “I do have to admit, it is nice to see you outside the Circle. You always look so subdued when I see you in the chapel.”

Bethany’s eyes widen. “I… I didn’t realize you noticed me enough to recognize me.”

He gives her a bemused smile. “Of course  **I noticed you. How could I not?** ”

Tallis’s eyebrows raise dramatically and she bites her lip to keep from speaking.

“I…” Bethany’s mind races. She had never thought she was particularly notable; indeed, in the Gallows she did her best to keep from standing out too much. Knowing that the object of her infatuation had taken note of her… It was almost too good to be true.

“Don’t you go seducing my little sister, Sebastian,” Emmie laughs, nudging him with her elbow.

“Oh Maker,” Bethany mutters. She would not admit to it aloud, but she would absolutely like to be seduced by him.

“Hawke!” Sebastian is blushing now. It’s adorable. “I wouldn’t… I haven’t in… I’m a  _ brother _ now…”

“Did you know, Bethany,” Emmie’s mirth is palpable as she turns to her, “that our dear Brother Sebastian was once… how shall I put this? He was Starkhaven’s wildest  _ libertine _ .” She grins devilishly yet again at the word.

Bethany’s eyes widen. She never would have expected  _ that _ from such a devoted brother of the chantry. She desperately tries to make her mind go blank but it’s no use; she’s already supplied her mind’s eye with vivid images of Sebastian’s hands roving confidently over her body.

“Emphasis on  _ was _ ,” Sebastian grumbles. He gives Bethany a weak smile and her heart skips a beat. “I hope you do not think any less of me, my lady. I was a very misguided youth before I joined the chantry.”

“No, not at all,” Bethany says softly.  _ I’m certainly going to think  _ more  _ of you. _

“You are too kind,” he replies with a slight bow of his head.

Tallis has pulled ahead slightly and is examining something on the ground. Emmie trots to join her, throwing Bethany a wink over her shoulder as she goes. Now she and Sebastian are more alone, with several meters between them and their companions.

“If it’s not too forward of me, I must admit that it’s nice to finally have the chance to speak to you,” Sebastian says. “Your sister speaks very highly of you, you know.”

“I hope I live up to what she says about me.” Bethany tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. Sebastian’s eyes follow the movement of her fingers.

“So far, you have,” he says with yet another warm smile. He reaches up to where her hand still rests against her face and gently takes it in his. Bethany holds her breath as he gently lifts it to his lips, brushing them against her knuckles.

Bethany doesn’t breathe again until he releases her fingers, smiles, and begins walking again. She blinks a few times, almost certain she imagined what just happened, then follows closely behind him.

“Now tell me, have you ever seen a wyvern before?” Sebastian looks her way again.

“No, I haven’t.” She shakes her head. “I don’t think there are any in Ferelden. Have you?”

“Well, never a  _ live  _ wyvern…”

Sebastian launches into a story about his first wyvern hunt. Bethany is utterly enraptured, gasping and giggling at all the right moments if his smiles are any indication.

As he talks, she lets her mind wander, a little. Perhaps in another life, one where she was not a mage and he not a brother, this would be the start of a courtship, or at least of an ill-advised but thrilling affair. She knows that in this life, that cannot happen. But sometimes his eyes lock with hers for a second too long and she thinks to herself that maybe she can pretend for just a little longer.

**Author's Note:**

> I will make content for this ship MYSELF if nobody else will!
> 
> Feel free to drop me a line on tumblr, I'm [sebethany](https://sebethany.tumblr.com) there lol.


End file.
